ROCHAS OKOROCHA : CHARCOAL CALLING KETTLE BLACK

By: Obinna Onuegbu

Rochas Okorocha represents a sour and sore chapter in democratic and leadership credentials. The trending press release by Rochas Okorocha where he attacked Governor Fayose for challenging the presidency to provide evidence of the whereabout of President Buhari is ludicrous, an insensitive piece of falsehood and cheap political propaganda. Since Rochas Okorocha has become a paper tiger; has Rochas Okorocha made any strong statement against the armed Fulani herdsmen who have continued to kill Nigerias? The answer is NO! On the 24th of December 2016, when Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the general overseer of RCCG visited Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi 111, the renouned and respected cleric described Governor Fayose as great defender of His people and their cause and advised governors like Rochas Okorocha to be like Governor Fayose. Pastor Adeboye was not being politically correct, He was, as a man of God, stating the obvious. It is not in contention that Governor Ayo Peter Fayose is known for his boldness, courage and his willingness to take risk so that the masses can be protected from the tyranny of people like Rochas Okorocha who bloat on the destiny and wickness of the masses.


Rather than heed the counsel of the man of God, and in his desperation to position himself as Buharis successor from the South East, Rochas Okorocha decided to make himself the spokesman of the president by usurping the office of Shehu Garba as SA to the president on media. In trying to evade demands for accountability from Imolites at the end of every month, Rochas Okorocha would dish out falsehood and cheap propaganda in the media to divert attention. Nigerians have come to realize that without the courage of individuals like Governor Fayose, the Buhari APC government would have destroyed our democratic institutions just like Rochas Okorocha destroyed and pillaged Imo State.
For the records, and without fear of contradiction, it is truism that Governor Ayo Fayose has continued to stimulate the Ekiti economy through his policy of wealth redistribution, like when he gave contracts to carpenters and tailors in Ekiti to make students chairs and school uniforms. In Imo State, Rochas Okorochas policies encouraged capital flight through the importation of low quality chairs and uniform from china while carpenters and tailors in Imo fold their hands in hunger and pains; what an insensitive governor! Today in Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has destroyed all the fabrics upon which a virile economy and democracy can thrive. His traditional sensational media propaganda about his achievements in governance are founded in criminality and dishonesty. While Governor Fayose was building state of the art roads and other infrastructures in Ekiti with meager resources, Rochas Okorocha with 13% derivation and a rising IGR, was busy building substandard roads that have their live span shorter than his first tenure. What a shame!


Let me inform Governor Rochas that the proletariats have risen and are ready to defend their destinies with their blood against the wickedness and treachery of leaders like Rochas Okorocha. Great men like Governor Ayo Fayose who have continued to speak out in defence of our democracy and the common man will carry the day. I am an indigene of Imo State who have visited almost all parts of Nigeria including Ekiti State, I make bold to say that in Ekiti, economic efficiency is compatible with social justice.


It is an undisputable fact that since the tenure of Rochas Okorocha as governor of Imo State, a lot of evil and inhuman acts have befallen Imo State. These have further fostered economic hardship and underdevelopment in the state. I therefore call on Governor Rochas Okorocha to defend the following dastardly act against the Imo people:

1. Sack of beneficiaries of the Ten Thousand (10,000) Job Scheme without regard to the Imo State Public/Civil Service Rules

2. Illegal Suspension/Retirement of Permanent Secretaries and public Servants.

3. Demolition of peoples Homes in Owerri, Orlu, Okigwe, Anara, Amaraku etc without due process or compensation

4. Illegal Revocation of Plots of Lands allotted to persons without Due Process

5. Illegal trespass into Area K Land belonging to Amawom Owerri people

6. Illegal acquisition of land belonging to Umuguma community in Owerri North for personal gains.

7. Illegal Dissolution of Town Unions in all the Autonomous Communities in Imo State as against the provision of the Nigerian Constitution, the Companies and Allied Matters Act and the state law on town unions,

8. Use of Imo resources and peoples land to build a private university at the governors home town

9. Long Lease of ADAPALM to Roche Group, Imo Transport Company (I.T.C.), Concorde Hotel, Childrens Park (opposite Concorde Hotel Owerri), state General Hospitals to his cronies without due process.

10. Sale of Imo Road Maintenance Agency (IROMA) graders, bulldozers, pay-loaders etc and appropriating same.

11. Auction of printing equipments belonging to Imo Newspapers acquired during Sam Mbakwe Administration.

12. Illegal Borrowing of Billions of Naira from both local and foreign financial institutions.

13. Reduction of admission quota for Imo Indigenes in Imo State University and Imo State Polytechnics (IMSU) to 30%.

14. Illegal sack of Education Secretaries in Imo State.

15. Misappropriation of Funds meant for local government councils and the Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC).

16. Refusal to Pay Salaries and pensioners even after collecting bailout funds and Paris club refund.

17. Refusal to Pay Community Speakers monthly allowances.

18. Refusal to pay Traditional Rulers of the 106 Autonomous Communities monthly allowances.

19. Stoppage of overtime allowance to public servants.

20. Refusal to pay minimum wage to Judiciary workers.

21. Cajole Government Contractors into borrowing money to do government projects and refusing to formalize and pay for the contracts done.

22. Abandonment of city-gate projects in Owerri and refusal to pay contractors.

23. Refusal to Pay severance benefits and other statutory entitlements to Ex-Governor Ikedi Ohakim, his Deputy Dr. Ada Okwuonu, former State Legislatures and Government Appointees who served between 2007 and 2011.

24. Creation of unconstitutional four-tier government in utter disregard to the three-tier government recognized by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

25. Declaration of Public Holidays to celebrate Governors birthday and personal programmes.

26. Appropriation of state fund without recourse to budgetary provision.

27. Allocation of land meant for New Government House Complex in New Owerri to private persons as against the provision of the Owerri Master plan.

28. Appointment of magistrates without a duly constituted State Judicial Service Commission.

29. Refusal to refund the sum of =N=5,000 being fees collected from aspirants to the 2012 cancelled Community Governing Council election.

30. Legalization of abortion


COURT JUDGMENTS DISOBEYED

31. Refusal to re-instate Elected Local Government Councils in the 27 Local Government Areas in Imo State as against the Judgment of the Court of Appeal.

32. Use of Sole Administrators to run local government councils in Imo State as against Court of Appeal ruling.

33. Refusal to Re-instate Sacked Members of the Imo State Judicial Service Commission against the judgment of an Owerri High Court.

34. Refusal to obey the Court of Appeal judgment re-instating Eze C. I. Ilomuanya as the Chairman Imo State Council of Ndi-eze.

35. It is on record that Imo State under Governor Okorocha ranks number one on the list of the most litigated government in Nigeria with over 1,000 cases in various courts around Nigeria.


MONEY STOLEN
It is on record and I stand to be challenged that Governor Rochas Okorocha who was heavily exposed financially, in billions, to banks in Nigeria has defrayed all that loan with Imo State funds. We have the records and will make it available if challenged. He has continued to launder Billions of Imo State funds overseas through the conduit of some cronies whom we shall expose if challenged.

If Rochas Okorochas ploy is to shut up Governor Ayo Fayose from speaking in defence of the masses and our democracy because of his inordinate ambition to be president, may evil slay the wicked unto their boundless generations, including those who celebrate calamity and disaster, and who call evil good in cheap political praises.


Obinna Onuegbu writes from Owerri, Imo State

Rochas Okorocha as of today, is the greatest thief to have graced the office of Imo government house....

How we voted a hoodlum into Douglas house remains a mystery! 2019 is around the corner sha